Juhuu
Bonfire of the Brands
1) Summary
The author, Neil Boorman, describes how he is obsessed with brands. He speculates that from birth we are being bombarded with advertising messages, which make us identify ourselves with particular brands. This can have negative consequences because we may believe that wearing the right brands will make us happy or accepted within a group. In an attempt to liberate him‐self from the brands, Boorman is going to burn every branded thing in his possession. This, he believes, will enable him to find real happiness, to find his authentic – unbranded ‐ self .
2) Analysis
The article is written in the first person, and the author uses a straightforward language that makes the essay appear informal and easy to understand. It also makes it personal and engaging to read, as you can actually hear the author’s voice.
Rhetorically, he applies three of the classic rhetorical figures:
Alliterations: these are noticeable in the headings: “Bonfire of the Brands”, “Brands on the brain”, and
“Burning the brands.
Anaphora: “What they look like, what they do, what they mean”, “to be accepted, to be loveable, to be cool” (these are also examples of three time repetition), “To find real happiness, to find the real me ...”
GREAT!
3) Essay on the two statements:
a) “From an early age, I have been taught that to be accepted, to be loveable, to be cool, one must have the right stuff”
Yes, I can indeed relate to this statement. Personally, I am a big fan of brands such as Nike, Ralph Lauren (the polo player …), and Apple. And yes, I do consider these brands very cool! But not because of peer pressure. Or because I need them to be cool. No, it is because of their quality, because of their design, and because I like them. Seriously! I don’t care what others think of these brands. For me they represent the top within sports equipment, clothing, and personal electronics, respectively. There are thousands of brands on the market,
1) Summary
The author, Neil Boorman, describes how he is obsessed with brands. He speculates that from birth we are being bombarded with advertising messages, which make us identify ourselves with particular brands. This can have negative consequences because we may believe that wearing the right brands will make us happy or accepted within a group. In an attempt to liberate him‐self from the brands, Boorman is going to burn every branded thing in his possession. This, he believes, will enable him to find real happiness, to find his authentic – unbranded ‐ self .
2) Analysis
The article is written in the first person, and the author uses a straightforward language that makes the essay appear informal and easy to understand. It also makes it personal and engaging to read, as you can actually hear the author’s voice.
Rhetorically, he applies three of the classic rhetorical figures:
Alliterations: these are noticeable in the headings: “Bonfire of the Brands”, “Brands on the brain”, and
“Burning the brands.
Anaphora: “What they look like, what they do, what they mean”, “to be accepted, to be loveable, to be cool” (these are also examples of three time repetition), “To find real happiness, to find the real me ...”
GREAT!
3) Essay on the two statements:
a) “From an early age, I have been taught that to be accepted, to be loveable, to be cool, one must have the right stuff”
Yes, I can indeed relate to this statement. Personally, I am a big fan of brands such as Nike, Ralph Lauren (the polo player …), and Apple. And yes, I do consider these brands very cool! But not because of peer pressure. Or because I need them to be cool. No, it is because of their quality, because of their design, and because I like them. Seriously! I don’t care what others think of these brands. For me they represent the top within sports equipment, clothing, and personal electronics, respectively. There are thousands of brands on the market,